Wednesday October 9, 2014 - Rome - Vatican to see the Pope and the Parthenon and the Sistine Chapel touring

Another summer like day!  Debbie and I headed off to the Hop On Bus at 8:30 am this morning and ended up at the Vatican.  There were tons of people there, thousands!  We got into a corral and within 15 minutes the Pope came by on a white type of open truck and stopped right in front of us, to hold a baby and bless him.  The Papal truck did the outside perimeter of the square and the Pope came by again, but faster.  This is when I took the photo below.  There were all kinds of people there.  Then by 10 am he was up at the outside podium welcoming the different groups from different countries and had a kind word for each of them.  The Vatican is quite media savy and did this audience very well.  Both Debbie and I were glad that we made it today and got to see and hear the Pope.

From the Vatican City we went back on the Hop On Bus to the Parthenon.  This is one of the oldest best preserved ancient buildings in Rome and it is still used today.  This was first a pagan church over 2,000 years ago, then it became a Roman influenced church, then 100 years later it became a Roman Catholic Church that is still used today.  It's cupola is open to the air and when rain falls on the floor inside, the floor below the open part has holes drilled into the granite to drain it.  It is a round church, with Roman columns in front, obviously added 2,000 years ago.  It is also front on a small square with a fountain in it.  It was noon-12:30 and we had our lunch on the bus and we bought an Italian ice cream that was not gelato (ice based) rather is was crema and it was delicious.  So good!!  This was our dessert.

From there we got on the Hop On Bus back to the Vatican for our 3:00 pm ticket for the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.  There were amazing works of art by Rafael, Michelangelo and Leonardo to name a few including Salvador Dali, and other contemporary works.  Then the Sistine Chapel at the end.  I spent about an hour there moving from section to section trying to take it all in.  The light was great and I think I saw some familiar faces in the artwork!  I am going to get a book on the Sistine Chapel when I get home, it was so amazing.  With all the people around and it was quite a crowd,  I was fine but I lost Debbie.  We both looked and waited for each other but somehow missed each other.  I texted Debbie but she did not check her texts.  But we met up at the bus.  I had supper tonight at an outdoor trattoria in perfect weather with some of our tour group.  A violinist and singer showed up and played and it was so Italian and the dolce vita, it was sweet.  The food was great too.

So another long day and I am tired and just took a Gravol now so will head to bed.  Last night in Rome and it has been fun!